Skype on RPi?

Is it possible? Skype exist for ARM devices(Androids) and the all low-level functions are in .so libraries... So, if we can connect Camera from Nokia N95 and port skype to Pi this will be really cool feature...

I've been looking into this, since I have a Skype-based project in mind.

Skype have a Developer Program, which makes available a runtime called Skypekit for ARM devices. This means that if there's a runtime available which will run on the Pi's particular ARM11 chip, then it would be possible to build an app around that runtime. To be clear, the runtime isn't a full-featured desktop app, but provides calling services and whatnot to an app that someone else builds. You make the UI, Skypekit makes the calls. I don't know for sure if there's a runtime that'll run on the Pi since a) I don't have a Pi yet and b) Skype charge $5 to join the Program.

And, of course, we'd need an audio-in device of some sort.

So the short answer is: yes, it looks possible, but I won't be able to tell for sure until my Pi arrives and I pay out my $5 to join the Developer Program

Why? What have you tried already? And which version of skype runtime do you use? Have payed fees for Embedded & Desktop runtimes today and got linux-armv6-skypekit-voicepcm-videortp & linux-x86-skypekit-voicepcm-videortp(for playing around because I STILL DIDN'T GET MY RPi )

Does RPi has pcm device? Can you start runtime on device and test runtimeclient with it?

This device (ISD1932) is completely unsuitable for its intended purpose, of acting as a real time speech codec and sending the digital audio data to the RPI! Its a simple single chip audio recording playback device, such as there are many for the Chinese market. It doesn't have an option to read out the digital data from its internal flash chip.What you need is a real codec, using an digital audio interface. In these days that means a codec with either a AC97 or a I2S interface (plus an I2C interface for control), all other options from previous era's have disappeared from the market due to standardization, adn simple ADC converters are generally unsuitable for this purpose.AC97 isn't supported by the RPI, and officially I2S isn't either, but unofficially you can find the needed signals on some resistors on the board.But you also need a driver for the I2S interface! And I think even the I2C driver is still in beta, as is the ALSA sound driver, so even a generic I2S driver simply doesn't exist for the PI (let alone one for a specific codec).Another (currently easier to implement) solution is to use an USB soundcard (behind a hub, as USB soundcards normally are not single current (100 mA) devices).

ISD1932 was just an example of PCB with microphone. Since RPi has GPIOs we can made simple PCB with mic and connect it over UART I2C or whatever... We can also do this over some cheap microcontrollers like Teensy(wich adds also features to us like HID interface(some buttons and we have simple keyboard to control RPi)). Sure we need to implement kernel module for our audio input, but it is possible. Over they we can use cheap Chinese usb sound cards, I will test them too... But we need RPi in first place, to get started!

Why? What have you tried already? And which version of skype runtime do you use? Have payed fees for Embedded & Desktop runtimes today and got linux-armv6-skypekit-voicepcm-videortp & linux-x86-skypekit-voicepcm-videortp(for playing around because I STILL DIDN'T GET MY RPi )

Does RPi has pcm device? Can you start runtime on device and test runtimeclient with it?

I have been trying to get audio working but then again I am a total Linux noob it is where I am stuck on now

groosha5 wrote:I'm a complete noob so don't eat me, but could you use a usb web cam with a built in mic?

yes, if your webcam supported and have some kind of "sound card" builtin.

I wouldn't know. It's a cheap, generic, made in China cam with no markings. Is there any way to find out?

I don't think cheap webcam from China would have sound card in it, perhaps just simple usb audio line-in. I know what logitech has kind of sound card builtin in theys webcams. Just connect your cam to linux PC and look if you have some new audio devices(simple run dmesg in console and look last 10-20 lines)

I am now at the stage that I can start Skypekit and send and receive chat messages (my primary target)The next step is to see what happens if I make a call to the RasPi

Are you using loopback PCM Host device?

Yes I do, I compiled it on the RasPi, since I have no clue on how to cross-compile, and works like a charm

Can you give any tips on getting the loopback Audio PCM host to compile? I've got as far as installing cmake & premake on the Pi, but I can't get the loopback to compile. What commands did you use to compile on your Pi?

[edit]Strike that, worked it out. That was not immediately obvious though, I'm going to write up the process somewhere so others don't have to suffer.

Next question then: I'm assuming that if we're to use the Skypekit runtime to make audio calls, we'll need to write an Audio PCM Host which connects to ALSA or something [I'm not a Linux programmer, so a lot of this is new stuff to me]?